Perceptual-cognitive deficits and neuropathological changes have been repeatedly demonstrated in detoxified alcoholics. Four aspects of research relevant to these findings are considered: 1) neuropsychological hypotheses as to disrupted brain-behavior relationships; 2) the role of age and drinking duration in the obtained deficits; 3) the time course of recovery from deficits and 4) the relationship of deficits to treatment outcome. Our previous results have supported the hypothesis of disrupted frontal-limbic system functioning; however our current research suggests more generalized dysfunction and also provides some support for right hemisphere dysfunction. Age is an important factor which interacts with the effects of alcohol so that older alcoholics are more impaired than older controls, particularly after a short (3 week) detoxification period. Duration of heavy drinking is not a major factor in our current results. Our initial experiments suggest that little recovery occurs over 11 weeks, but preliminary results suggest partial recovery may occur over a 6 month time period. More extensive assessment and followup at 6 and 12 months will provide further evidence as to the reversibility and time course of recovery. The relevance of neuropsychological test results to treatment outcome will be evaluated using life adaptation data gathered at the 6 and 12 month followups. Current data suggest substantial relationships between test performance and therapists' ratings of progress and prognosis.